Collapsible box.



F. H. HOUGHLAND.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. 1915.

1, 168,072, Patented Jan. 11,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

F. H. HOUGHLAND.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. l9l5.

Patented Jun. 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 J M M u H w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

FRANK H. HOUGHLAND, or ouston, TEXAS."

COLLAPSIBLE Box.

' Application filed March 9,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK H. HOUGH- LAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, Harris county, and State of Texas, have invented and discovered certain new and useful Improvements in C01- lapsible Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of collapsible boxes of that type ordinarily constructed of pasteboard, or similar material, for packing purposes, such as are commonly used by tailors, millinery establishments, laundries,

etc., whereby such a box is provided having strong and perfect ends adapted to retain their shape and remainclosed, during use, thus adding materially to the utility of such a box, as Well as its advantage in use, all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box, without its top, illustrating a folding or collapsible box of my improved construction as it appears when ready for use, the interior appearance being illustrated at the right-hand side of said figure, and the exterior appearance at the left-hand side, Fig. 2 a detail top or plan view of the left-hand end of the box when in collapsed position, Fig. 3 a similar view of the right-hand end of the box, showing the blank completely flattened out, ready to be formed, as shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 a view of the ends as shown in Fig. 2, with the parts nearly in erected position, Fig. 5 a vertical section through the end of the box, as on the dotted line 5-5 in Fig. 6, Fig. 6 a horizontal section, as on the dotted line 66 in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 a view similar to Fig. 4, showing a modified form.

In forming the box, the blank A, consisting of pasteboard, or similar material, is formed with slits 10 at a distance from each edge equal to the height desired for the sides of the box and extending from the ends, parallel with the sides, into the blank to a point somewhat farther than a distance equal to the height of the box. The blank is formed with creases, or folds, 11 from end to end, which are in line with the slits 10. It is also formed with transverse creases, or folds, 1.2 extending entirely across the blank from side to side and parallel with its ends and a distance from the ends to intersect Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 11, 1916. 1915. Serial No. 13,098.

the-inner ends of the slits 10. These creases and slits divide the sides 13 and the ends 15 I from the main bottomof the box. In each corner of the blank, between the slit 10 on one side and the groove 12 on the other, are corner flaps 16,- which are formed with creases, or folds 17 extending from the juncture between the fold 12 and the slit 10 to the outer edge ofthe flap 16 on a line with a fold 18 in the end flap 15, which extends entirely across said end flap at a point which defines the top edge of the box, leaving a flap 20 on the outside thereof. A stifiening member 19 is mounted centrally on the end 15, covering the width of the end from the fold 12 to the fold 18. The flap 20 of the end 15, outside of the fold 18, is adapted to be folded over onto the saidstifl'ening member 19 along the crease 18. The outer ends of the flap 16 are folded along the creases 17 and doubled over onto the part beneath. The sides 13 are then folded over onto the bottom, as shown in Fig. 2, which will bring the part of each flap 16 outside the crease 17 over onto the ends 15, overlapping the ends of the stiffening member 19. After this is done the flap 20 of said ends is folded over, covering said parts 16 and 19 at the upper edge of each end. Staples 21 are then driven through the several parts of the end consisting of the flap 20 and the mainfend 15, and the flaps 16 and stiffening member 19, one prong of each staple passing through the upper corner of a part 16, as at point 22, thus fastening the several parts securely together, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4. By forming the stiffening member 19 of the full height of the box end it renders said end capable of resisting unusual strain. It will be understood, of course, that said stiffening member may be omitted in boxes where not needed.

Each of the corners 16 has a tongue 23 formed therein, as clearly indicated in the drawings, the lower end being free and the upper end left attached to said part 16. WVhen the box is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 2, these tongues will lay flat, but when the box is erected, as shown in Fig. 1, these tongues are brought up around the lower edge of the fold 20 on the box end and inserted through slots 24, formed therein for the purpose, thus fastening said fold and securing the corners of the box from collapsing under strain.

An important part of the locking device of the box consists of the flap 20 formed by 50 vention, what I claim as new and desire to l ofv the box along the lines of the fold between 3 the slot 24, holding the tongue a paper omitted,

and

the fold 18 on the end wall 15, .in Whichthe slot 2 is formed toreceive the tongue 23 of the corner flap 16. diagonal crease or fold 17 extending from the junction between the folds l2 and the slit to a point on the upper outer edge of the said flap 16, substantially Opposite that edge of. the tongue 23, aS shown in Figs. 2 and l Vhen' the parts are brought together in position, as shown in Fig. 1, the box is set up and locked. When the box is set up as shown in Fig. l, and a strain or pressure is put on the box, the pressure will cause the corner flap 16 to bend at the crease 17 and this bending will cause the flap 20 and the tongue 23 to become more tightly engaged, the locking device will then become stronger and have a greater resistance. lhe bending at the crease 17 twists the tongue in 28 tighter in the slot 24: by being thus twisted; and, when so twisted, causing the outer edges of the tongue 23 to be more tightly engaged by that part of the flap 20 between the edge of the slot- 24: and thelower edge of the flap 20;

and, also by the upper edge of the slot at ressing against the tongue 23. The crease or fold 17, or one similar thereto, is a necessary part in setting up and knocking down box of this or similar construction and is ordinarily the weakest part of the box, but with the adaptation of the lock ing device described herein, the crease 17 becomes an element in the locking device and one of the strengthening features after the box is set up when a strain or pressure is applied- Thetop of the box is a duplicate of the main part of thebo-x and formed in the same manner, and needs no special illustration or description.

In Fig.

stantially principal 7, the structure shown is subthe same as that shown in the views, except the staples 21 are the stiffening member is only the width of the folding member 20 of the ends, and the. tongues 23 are relied upon to maintain the end in its erected position.

Having thus fully described my said insecure by Letters Patent, is:

I 1. A collapsible box formed of a blank of appropriate material creased along the lines of" the folds between the bottom and the sides and ends of the box, the ends of said box beyond said folds being of a length greater than the normal height of the box and formed with slits from the outer ends of the fold between the end and the bottom fldpies of this patentmay be obtained for Said flap 16 has a central stiffeningstrip and formed to fold along the line of the normal height of the box over onto said stiffening strip, the corners formed by the ends of the sides of the box being folded diagonally from the juncture at the corner between the side and the bottom to the outside at a point in line with the normal height of the box, said corners being folded along said crease and then the sides folded over onto the top face of the bottom, then the outer flap on the extreme end being folded over onto the several parts and secured by staples driven through the several thicknesses, said corner flaps of the sides being formed with tongues adapted to bebent upwardly and inserted through slots in the outer fold of the end pieces, all substantially as set forth.

2. A collapsible box formed of a board creased along the lines marking the junction between the normal bottom, ends and sides of the box, folds onthe ends of the flaps, end flaps formed from thesides outside the normal length of the box, said end flaps having tongues cut therefrom and having diagonal creases or folds extending from the corner between the sides and the bot tom to a point on the upper outer edge of said end flaps substantially opposite that edge of the tongue nearest the end of said end flaps, the several parts when brought together in position forming a permanent fastening device, substantially as set forth.

8. A- collapsible box formed of appropriate material creased along the lines marking the junction between the normal bottom,

sides and ends of the box, slits being formed to divide the ends from the sides,the ends of said box beyond said creases being of a length greater than the normal height of the box and formed with slots in -the1outer ends to the creases between the end and the bottom of the box along the lines of the fold between the bottom and sides, end flaps formed from the sides outside the normal; length of the box, tongues cut from end flaps,

diagonal folds or creases extending from the FRANK H. HOUGHLAVD.

VVitnesSes:

GEORGE A. Knees, JOHN W. FARLEY..

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of P ajce fits,

stomn. c. Y r I V. 

